Your Universe

#YU27

•RICHARD•

We were scheduled to take the UPCAT on saturday kaya after our classes, nagrereview na kaming dalawa ni Maine kasama yung barkada. We decided to take the UPCAT, ACET, DLSUCET and USTET, para may mga choices kami. Nasa bahay kami nina Karla, our designated review place for today. Our friends are going to take the UPCAT, DLSUCET and USTET kaya kasama na rin namin sila magreview.

"Bakit hindi kayo magte-take ng ACET?" I asked them after I put down my pen. Pahinga muna kasi kanina pa rin naman kami nagrereview for the exams.

"Nako, ang hirap daw don eh," Gio said after she finished scanning her notes. "Lalo na yung essay."

"Mas kaya mo yun, Richard. Kaya niyo ni Maine," Karla told us after sipping some iced tea from her glass. "Alam na nga namin na ikaw yung valedictorian pero si Maine mukhang candidate for salutatorian din."

"Consistent top 2 ba naman eh," Paolo grinned at us.

"Uy grabe hindi kaya," Maine said shyly. "Di hamak na mas matalino naman sa'kin si RJ."

Binato kami ni Gio ng crumpled paper. "Pa-humble pa kayo mga bwisit," she said and laughed.

"Teka Poks, anong sabi sa'yo ni Coach Ayo nung kinausap ka?" Kevin asked. Kahapon kasi, kinausap ako ni Coach tungkol sa mga mga scouts na nanood nung championship game namin.

"Yung scouts from UP and Ateneo, pinapapunta ako for tryouts next week," I told them as I drank iced tea from my glass. "E hindi ko pa alam kung sasali ako sa team o magfofocus sa acads pagdating natin ng college."

"Kung kaya mo naman ipagsabay, why not?" Maine told me and held my hand, intertwining her fingers with mine. She started stroking the back of my hand with her thumb. "Nagagawa mo naman ngayon, for sure kaya mo din yan sa college."

"Teka guys, anong course ba kukunin niyo?" Karla asked us.

"Civil Engineering ako," sabay na sabi nina Gio at Kevin. Nagkatinginan pa sila sabay tumawa. Naku po, malala na to.

"Hoy!!!! Ang lala teka lang bakit kayo sabay tapos pareho pa kayo ng sagot!!" Maine exclaimed while hitting Gio's arm. Sabay pa sila ni Karla na nanghahampas kay Gio kaya napapaaray ng konti yung isa.

"Hoy kalmahan niyo lang paghampas sa girlfriend ko," Kevin blurted out. Napalingon kami sa kanya, literally with wide eyes lalo na yung mga babae. Nagulat kami eh. Lalo na si Gio, na hinahampas naman siya ngayon.

"Hoy Giovanna nakakarami ka na!" he said and winced after Gio hit his arm. Natatawa na lang kami ni Paolo sa kanilang dalawa habang yung mga babae, kinikilig. Just a few weeks ago, kami ni Paolo ang nakakaranas ng panghahampas from Maine and Karla because we blurted out that we were dating them.

Hinila na namin palapit sa amin ni Paolo sina Maine at Karla and silently watched the two who started bickering.

"Sabi ko kasi sa'yo ako na magsasabi sa kanila eh!"

"Sus, kanina ka pa may chance kasi kanina pa tayo nandito pero hindi mo pa rin sinasabi."

"E bakit kasi nangunguna ka?! Ako nga sabi magsasabi!"

"Langya, nanisi pa. Tapos na, nasabi ko na! Alangan namang bawiin ko pa?!"

"Oo bawiin mo!!! Bwisit ka talaga, Kevin Joshua!!!"

Napa-facepalm na lang kaming apat sa kanila. Bottomline is, Giovanna and Kevin are actually a couple now.

***

"Huy, okay ka lang ba?" tanong ni Maine sa akin habang naglalakad kami papunta sa bahay nila. We stopped by a food stand which sells different kinds of street foods.